World champion Shaun Murphy takes to the green baize tomorrow for his first tournament since last season’s heroics at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

The threat to the future of the Northern Ireland Events Company has been lifted, it was revealed today.

The British government is expected to make its final decision on the draft budget for the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure next month.

GILLIAN O’SULLIVAN launched her sensational season at the Irish Indoor Championships in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast last February and she will be hoping for more of the same when she returns there in less than two months to launch her the build-up to the Olympics.